It is collective responsibilty to empower UN: PM

Kathmandu, Sept. 22

The United Nations is at a crossroads of continuity and transformation and that it is a collective responsibility of the member states to strengthen and empower the UN as the centre of multilateralism to deal with the complex challenges confronting the world, said Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli while addressing the 75^th Anniversary of the UN.

In his address, through a pre-recorded video, to the High-level Meeting held on Monday to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the UN, he said the global body was facing test of delivering the ever-growing expectations.

"It is facing expectations to protect the neediest countries and peoples, promote the sovereign equality and dignity of all, and fight against the threats like pandemics, climate crisis and terrorism," said PM Oli.

Ensuring total elimination of nuclear, chemical, biological, radiological and all other weapons of mass destruction is also an important expectation, according to the PM.

While expressing his satisfaction on the ever-growing partnership between Nepal and the UN in all three pillars - peace and security, development, and human rights, PM Oli observed that Nepal had been providing one of the most dedicated and professional services to the UN peace operations for over six decades.

"There is no alternative to unity, solidarity and cooperation. We must reaffirm these values and commit ourselves to move beyond rhetoric to action. With timely reforms, we must enable the UN to build a just, fair, and rules-based international order," the Prime Minister stated.

The Meeting is being convened under the theme of ‘The future we want, the United Nations we need: Reaffirming our collective commitment to multilateralism’. The Declaration on the commemoration of the seventy-fifth anniversary of the United Nations was adopted earlier in the meeting.

A total of 182 speakers, including 88 Heads of State and 44 Heads of Government, are scheduled to address the commemorative event.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 23 September 2020.